Mike’s Journal

About two years ago I quietly transitioned from using machine-made horseshoes to exclusively using handmade horseshoes. By this I mean each shoe is made from straight barstock for each specific hoof. This gives me several advantages over the mass-produced, machine-made…

Washington Post photographer Ricky Carioti documented a day of shoeing in extreme heat. See the entire photo gallery. Below are screen grabs from the Washington Post website (www.washingtonpost.com) on Wednesday, July 20 and Thursday, July 21, 2011.

The following is based on a presentation by Mike Poe, CJF, given at the 2009 Maryland Horse World Expo. Back to Basics Myth: Putting bleach on thrush will help. Fact: It won’t help. Bleach is a caustic cleaning agent. Would you dip…

“Therapeutic, or pathological, work pertains to treatment of lameness, genetic or congenital defects. This type of work is usually both mentally and physically challenging for all involved. My feeling about this type of work is that it is a team…

While each equestrian discipline has different requirements, the basis of each one – the trim – is universal. “When I trim, I trim to an ideal,” says Mike Poe, CJF. “That ideal is the individual horse’s leg. I trim for…

*Note: This journal post was originally published on September 10, 2010* Many of my current clients are quite familiar with this particular modification and some of those simply accept that they are appropriate for their horse. The truth is, the…

*Note: This journal post was originally published on June 10, 2010* Alpha Farrier Services has had a very busy spring. Between regular work and clinics and contests, I haven’t had much time to keep my journal updated! In January we…

*Note: This journal post was originally published on October 16, 2009* Summer is always a very busy time in the farrier industry. It seems like there is always at least one more horse that needs done every day in the…

*Note: This journal post was originally published on September 4, 2009* A few months ago I talked about starting down the path to becoming a certification Tester with the AFA. That was the start of the summer and now, as…